Shoe last



M. S. CATE SHOE LAST June 8, 1937.

Filed April 8, 1935 TYL/ETW'UE 11 5/501 5'55]? Patented June 8, 1937 UNITED STATES SHOE LAST Malcolm S. Cate, Watertown, Mass, assignor to Hood Rubber Company, Inc., Watertown, Mass., a corporation of Delaware Application April 8, 1935, Serial No. 15,186

5 Claims.

This invention relates to lasts of the type used in building shoes.

The principal objects of the invention are to provide for changing the form of the last to facilitate removal of the shoe without entirely disassembling the last, and to provide an efiicient locking device therefor. 7

Other objects will appear from the following description and the accompanying drawing.

Of the drawing:

Fig. l is a side elevation of the assembled last, in its preferred form, parts being broken away to show the locking mechanism.

Fig. 2 is a similar view, showing the last in its shortened condition.

Fig. 3 is a sectional, detail view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1, showing the locking mechanism, parts being shown in section, and parts being broken away.

Fig. 4 is a View looking at the attaching face of the rear portion of the last as indicated by line 44 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a perspective View of the forward part of the last, showing the attaching face of this part.

Referring to the drawing, the last may be formed of wood, metal, or other rigid material, and comprises a front portion and a rear portion II, slidably joined along a plane lying at an angle acute to the sole of the last, and inclined forward at the top of the last.

In order to provide for sliding engagement of the last parts, one of the parts, preferably the front portion I0, is formed, on its attaching face I2, with a rib I3, of T form in cross section.

The other part is formed with a T-gro'o-ve I4 for sliding engagement with rib I3.

In order to provide against accidental separation of the parts of the last, a screw I is inserted in the last part I I, with its head projecting into the groove I I, near the sole, and a clearance groove I6, for receiving the screw head, is formed in the face of the rib I3, to the extent of the desired motion.

To provide for locking of the parts, an opening I'I, preferably circular in shape, is formed through the last part I I, extending cross-wise of the last, and intersecting the T-slot I4. A recess I 8, constituting a continuation of the opening I1, when the last parts are assembled, is formed in the edge of the rib I3, and a locking pin I9, slidably mounted in the opening I1, and having a clearance notch 20 in its side, is adapted to engage the notch I8. The locking pin I9, when engaged in the notch I8, holds the last parts in locked engagement, but may be moved endwise to cause the notch 29 to permit sliding of the last parts upon each other. The ends. of the pin I9, when it is engaged in the notch I8, are contoured to the contour of the faces of the last. A coil spring 2|, located in a recess 22, in last part I I, engages the locking pin I9, and urges it in a direction to lock the parts.

The parting line between the last parts is such that it extends above the top of the shoe to be constructed upon the last. When the shoe is completed, the locking pin I9 is pressed in a direction to release the parts, and the rear portion of the last is raised to the acute angle defined by the parting line, thereby shortening the last in its greatest dimension, and permitting removal of the shoe. As the screw I5 limits such motion, the last parts are not entirely separated, and further raising of the rear part II causes part I9 tobe withdrawn from the shoe. The relation of the last parts to each other, permitting limited adjustment, but preventing accidental separation, assures mating of the last parts.

I claim:

1. A shoe-building last comprising a toe portion and a heel portion, means including an inter locking rail and groove for slidably engaging the toe and heel portions with each other, and means for locking the portions in their assembled relation, said means comprising a passage formed crosswise through one portion of the last and intersecting said groove, a plug slidably mounted in said passage, a notch in said rail in alignment with the passage and engaged by said plug when the ends of the plug are flush with the surface of the last, said plug being formed with a notch to provide clearance for sliding said rail when the plug is released from the notch, and a spring for holding the plug and rail in locked position.

2. A shoe-building last as defined by claim 1 in which the ends of the plug are contoured to conform to the surface of the last adjacent the passage.

3. A shoe-building last comprising a toe portion and a heel portion, means including an interlocking rail and groove for slidably engaging the toe and heel portions with each other along a plane acute to the sole of the last and inclined forward toward the top of the last, and means for locking the portions in their assembled relation, said means comprising a passage formed crosswise through one portion of the last and intersecting said groove, a plug slidably mounted in said passage, a notch in said rail in alignment with the passage and engaging by said plug when the ends of the plug are flush with the surface of the last, said plug being formed with a notch to provide clearance for sliding said rail when the plug is released from the notch and a spring for holding the plug and rail in locked position.

4. A shoe-building last comprising a toe portion and a heel portion slidably engaging each other, and means for holding the portions in their assembled relation, said means comprising a passage formed crosswise through the structure and a plug slidable in said passage transversely of the last and engageable with the last portions said plug having its ends contoured to conform to the surface of the last adjacent the passage.

5. A shoe-building last comprising a toe portion and a heel portion slidably engaging each other, and means for releasably holding the portions in their assembled relation, said means comprising a passage formed crosswise in the structure and a plug slidable in said passage transversely of the last from a position of release in which the end of the plug projects from the last to a holding position in which the end of the plug by a contoured form hereof lies substantially flush with the surface of the last.

MALCOLM S. GATE. 

